CALL FOR PAPERS
FRONTIERS IN POLITICAL THOUGHT:
NON-WESTERN, INTERNATIONAL AND GLOBAL
2014 CAMBRIDGE GRADUATE CONFERENCE IN POLITICAL THOUGHT AND
INTELLECTUAL HISTORY
St. John’s College, University of Cambridge, 17-18 April 2014
Keynote speaker: Professor David Armitage (Harvard)
Paper proposals are invited for the seventh Cambridge Graduate Conference in Political Thought and
Intellectual History, themed ‘Frontiers in Political Thought: Non-Western, International and Global’.
There will be a keynote address from Professor David Armitage of Harvard University, whose
publications include Foundations of Modern International Thought (2013), The Declaration of
Independence: A Global History (2007) and The Ideological Origins of the British Empire (2000).
This conference aims to explore the burgeoning fields of non-western, international and global political
thought, facilitating discussion of the work of a broad range of graduate students in a collegial and
supportive atmosphere. As such, the theme will be interpreted broadly.
We invite papers on the history of political ideas in Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and the
Arabic-speaking world. Bringing together researchers working on the histories of different regions, the
conference hopes to foster contrasts and comparisons between political theories developed in specific
regional historical contexts. Possible topics include theories of the state, society, constitutional order,
civilisation, nationalism, political economy, imperialism, jurisprudence, gender and the relationship of
religion and politics.
In addition, the conference welcomes papers from those working on Western political thought, whether
relating to the non-Western world (once again, interpreted broadly), or to the history of international and
global political thought, both recently developed and contested fields of research. Papers are welcome on
all periods, from antiquity to the present.
The University of Cambridge has a long-standing reputation for the study of the history of political
thought. Those presenting at the conference will receive feedback from members of the History Faculty,
including those in the Political Thought and Intellectual History Group, as well as the various Cambridge
University area study centres and faculties.
Participants will be invited to present their work as part of themed panels, followed by a response and a
question and answer session. Accommodation will be provided for speakers subject to distance and
availability. An effort will be made to subsidise travel costs.
Please send an abstract of max. 500 words and an academic CV to ptihconf@hermes.cam.ac.uk. The
deadline for submission is 17 January 2014. You will receive information on whether your paper has
been accepted by 24 January 2014.
Those wishing to register their attendance should visit the website at www.ptih.net/conferenceregistration-
2014/. A detailed list of speakers and panels will be posted on this site near to the date of the
conference.
2014 Conference Committee
Harry Dadswell Faridah Zaman Kenzie Bok
Ben Hand Ben Slingo Nick Mulder